loans.com.au provides Domestic Violence Support

loans.com.au has taken action to support customers experiencing financial abuse and domestic and family violence, highlighting the important role lenders should play in preventing domestic violence in Australia.

Marie Mortimer, Managing Director of loans.com.au said the financial services industry, particularly lenders and banks, should take responsibility to train their staff to assist victims of domestic violence and financial abuse scenarios.

“It’s important for us as leaders in the online lending space to understand that home loans or car loans can actually be used against victims in situations of domestic violence,” Ms Mortimer said.

For example, scenarios of domestic violence through financial abuse include if a borrower needs to move out of the family home to protect themselves but are unable to afford the repayments when the other borrower will no longer contribute, or if a partner took a vehicle due to a separation but is no longer paying the loan.

As a result, loans.com.au has expanded and upskilled a specialist Customer Wellbeing team to recognise these scenarios and provide support to customers experiencing these situations.

“We know from our staff who are taking calls all day and also from the women and men who come to us for support that there is a need for us to identify these situations and take appropriate action, quickly,” Manager of Contact Centre and Payments Michelle Young said.

loans.com.au has trained a number of employees to recognise and respond to family violence and financial abuse.

“Financial abuse can be a reason a customer of ours discloses experiencing domestic and family violence, but also unfortunately the reason they feel they can’t afford to leave an abusive relationship,” Marie

“It’s extremely important to us that we have the right measures in place to appropriately help any customer impacted by financial abuse.”

“Home loans or car loans can be used against victims in situations of domestic violence.”

loans.com.au partnered with Challenge DV to refine financial abuse policies and train staff to prepare for scenarios.

Jacque Lachmund, CEO of Challenge DV says businesses can play a critical role in preventing domestic and family violence.

“loans.com.au is taking a proactive approach to educating their team members and Challenge DV is proud to partner with loans.com.au by facilitating specialist DFV training to frontline staff,” Lachmund said.

“The training provides team members with the framework they need to recognise, respond, and refer those experiencing financial abuse and domestic and family violence.”

Marie Mortimer recognises the responsibility of being a large employer on the impact of the wider community.

“As employers, we have a huge responsibility and capability to change the way our employees, and more largely their friends, family and community approach respecting women and treating people properly,” Ms. Mortimer said.

“At loans.com.au and the Firstmac Group we understand our potential influence and want to use it to make a positive change in our immediate and wider community,” she said.

For more information on the loans.com.au Customer Wellbeing team and the support available to customers: https://www.loans.com.au/women-children-community/dfv-policy

Media contact: Duncan Macfarlane on 0434 184 264

loans.com.au provides home and car loans to people in every state of Australia, and for more than 10 years customers have trusted their expert team to provide low home loan and car loan rates through the online app.